Anger is a Spear of Ice Through the Heart
by tearstreakedsky
Summary: Yamamoto proposes a plan to cure the Gotei 13's anger management problem. Captain Hitsugaya must be first to receive treatment for the deadly infliction, but on his quest to soothe his anger, what else does he find? Possibly romance? HitsuRuki.
1. Captain's Meeting

_Summary: Yamamoto proposes a plan to cure the Gotei 13's anger management problem. Captain Hitsugaya must be first to receive treatment from the deadly infliction, but on his quest to soothe his anger, what else does he find? Possibly romance? HitsuRuki._

**Warning: Improbable Situations. Crack. Some Language Abuse. Crack. Slight OOCness, Crack, Slight Bashing of Characters....and Crack. Also,** **English is not my first language, but I am currently studying it. It would greatly benefit me if you correct any mistakes I make. Thank you.**

* * *

"Captains", the Captain-Commander of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, announced, quite loudly in fact. "It has come to my attention that some of you highly esteemed and skilled shinigami have a common issue."

At most meetings, the Thirteen Court Guard Squad Captains, minus Aizen, Ichimaru and Tosen, who were no longer Captains, were not quite listening the whole time. The only one who in fact heard anything the soutaicho said, was the furry 7th Captain. The mention of a common issue, however, caused the Captains, the ones who were still awake anyway, to perk up.

"This common issue", the Captain-Commander paused, as if for dramatic effect.

...

"Yes?" Captain Kyoraku was astoundingly, one of the ones who was sober and awake.

Apparently, even the soutaicho had gotten weary of the meeting, for his eyes were closed as he dozed peacefully. Suddenly, with a slight jolt, he opened his eyes and shook his head muttering something about jelly beans to himself.

"Excuse me, Captain-Commander", Captain Kuchiki was known to have a certain degree of patience, but today it seemed was on off day for him. "I believe you were about to tell us, meaning myself and my fellow Captains, what our common issue is."

"Oh yes, common issues", Captain-Commander Yamamoto rambled a little. Then clearing his throat he continued, "What I meant to say was that the common issue I believe most Captains, excluding myself and a few others, have is anger management."

Following the impressive statement, the Squad 1 Meeting Hall went silent. It was more silent than it had been in years, for even the gentle snoring of Captain Ukitake had stopped momentarily. The sotaicho smiled his rare and occasional smile.

"Anger management?" Captain Zaraki Kenpachi was not known for his subtlety and manners. "What the fuck do you mean by that?"

"Ah well, I can explain that", Captain Kurosutchi cut in just as the Captain-Comander was about to answer. "Anger is an emotion that is a form of rage. It is usually associated with-"

"Shut-up, Kurotsuchi", the 11th Squad Captain was elegant as always. At which point another argument started with pointed fingers and many eye rolls.

The Captain-Commander's face fell almost comically as he watched the events unfold before his eyes. He had just been talking about anger management and now this.

"Excuse me", Captain-Commander Yamamoto tried to solve the problem peacefully without a huge release of his reiatsu. To no avail, perhaps, as none of the Captains could hear his command.

"EXCUSE ME!" A huge wave of reiatsu embedded in his voice sent several Captains stumbling a few steps. Ah, that was better. Silence is golden.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by two Captains who definitely need anger management therapy", the Captain-Commander glared at said two Captains. "We, the highest ranking officers in the Gotei Thirteen have a problem and we must fix it."

"Just like we need to fix Kurotsuchi and Zaraki to a wall", Captain Soifon hissed to herself, causing Captain Unohana to smile wider than necessary and Captain Kuchiki to nod in agreement.

"Anger management, Captain Soifon", Captain-Commander Yamamoto reminded the anger-prone ninja.

"I have noticed that not only do several Captains have this problem, but several Vice-Captains as well", the old man sighed. "My suggestion to fix this...unfortunate condition...is that we work together as a team."

If the Captains were being reprimanded about something other than anger management, they would have openly objected to the teamwork plan. But none of them, not even Captain Unohana wanted to be subjected to having to resort to teamwork.

"I put names of all the Captains and Vice-Captains into a...top hat? Yes, that's what it is called. Then I drew a piece of paper out and saw the name of the one fortunate enough to go first." The Captain-Commader waved his arms about as if telling a story to young children.

At this point several Captains, including the 2nd, 6th, 10th, 11th and 12th all felt the immense urge to run away, probably because they knew that they had a sight and minor problem with anger.

"And the lucky winner", the sotaicho smiled a smile that was almost as insane as Captain Kurotsuchi's. "The lucky winner happened to be the one and only Captain Hitsugaya of the 10th Division."

Audible sighs of relief from the four other Captains could be heard, but one loud groan covered nearly all of them.

"With all due respect, Captain-Commander, what makes you think that I have...anger management...problems?" The white-haired Captain spoke with as much dignity as he could muster. First Aizen and now anger management.

"That shall be revealed on your quest", Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni sounded almost too happy for the subject. "And luckily, the 13th Squad Captain would be elated to help you, wouldn't he?"

Captain Jushiro Ukitake had always respected and revered the father like figure of Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni. The mention of spending more time with his matching Shiro counterpart was welcome. The tuberculosis-inflicted Captain leaned down in a sort of hasty bow and said, cheerily of course, "That is an excellent suggestion, Captain-Commander!"

Captain Hitsugaya buried his face into his hands and all the Captains felt the room go colder by at least 13 degrees.

"I'll be leaving now", Captain Kyoraku did not wish to see a certain Hyorinmaru-wielding Captain lose it. Neither, it seemed, did the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 12th Captains. Luckily, the soutaicho was so amused that he missed the fact that he had not dismissed any of the five fleeing Captains.

* * *

"So, Toshiro", Captain Ukitake was oblivious to the clenched fists of the short Captain next to him. The said Captain turned his cold and quite angry teal eyes towards the taller Captain. "Would you like a piece of candy?"

The two white haired Captains were taking a walk back to their corresponding divisions and while Captains Hitsugaya had expected something like this he was still angry. Captain Hitsugaya stared at the Jolly Rancher Captain Ukitake was waving in front of his face. Then a vein popped from his forehead and then another one. He slapped the Jolly Rancher out of Captain Ukitake's hand and yelled, "I DO NOT NEED CANDY!"

Captain Ukitake stared for a moment before putting a reassuring hand on the icy Captain's shoulder. "Toshiro, I understand that you're pretty mad right now."

"Really?" His voice was so laden with sarcasm that it was a wonder that his voice didn't crack. "Well what reason do I have to be mad at the world?"

"Toshiro", Captain Ukitake repeated, this time more firmly, "There's no use being mad. What you should do is work towards the goal that the Captain-Commander has set for you."

"It's a stupid goal", Captain Hitsugaya kicked a post nearby. "I'm fine without it."

"Captain Hitsugaya", the sick Captain addressed him correctly for the first time in some years. "Why don't we work on it anyway? Yama-jii isn't going to be easy on you."

"You're right, Captain Ukitake, I'm sorry about the chidish tantrum I threw", Captain Hitsugaya sighed, "But I'm so angry that I have to be first. I mean Captain Soifon has a lot more anger management issues than I do!"

"Agreed", Captain Ukitake said, nodding his head and remembering the time said female ninja Captain pinned him to a tree with kunai, ripped off half of clothes, took more than 13 pictures from various angles, and posted them in the Seireitei Monthly.

"How about we work on this issue with Kuchiki Rukia, you two have met and fought together, so I think she'll be of some help", Captain Ukitake volunteered with a bright smile.

"Anything to get this humiliation over with."

**

* * *

Please leave a review if you feel so obliged or if you would like to brighten my day.**

**Next Chapter: The Treatment of Hitsugaya Toshiro begins!**


	2. Why so mad? Get glad!

**Here is the next chapter. This may not seem HitsuRuki for awhile...sorry. Thanks for reading! And special thanks to those that reviewed/alerted/favorited!  
**

**Bold - Author's Note**

_Italic - Thoughts_

_**BoldItalic - Electronic Device Speaking**_

Regular - Regular

* * *

A regular Captain's Meeting commenced the next morning and no one even hinted at bringing up the subject of anger management. As Captain Soifon gave a boring summary, she herself found it boring as well, about her subordinate's findings, Captain Hitsugaya was fidgeting. The room had dropped to a chilling -1º C and the Captains could all see their breath whenever they exhaled.

Finally after Captain Soifon's report, filled with teeth chattering, the Captain-Commander decided it was time to address the issue everyone had in mind.

"Captains", he boomed, "It seems that most of you are still perplexed at my ruling of anger problems."

He directed a look at a certain rich noble who had the guts to confront him after the meeting yesterday. The noble Captain cleared his throat a few times to avert the glances sent his way none too secretly.

"Vice-Captain Sasakibe!" The Captain-Commander called out to his own Vice-Captain. After the words left his mouth the lights in the Meeting Hall went dim and a screen came up.

"Is that a television?" Captain Hitsugaya shuddered at the memory of television and what it held. Inoue Orihime had been demonstrating for his Vice-Captain once and well, needless to say the shows she watched were quite disturbing.

"Yes, flip it on", Yamamoto said to his subordinate. The screen flickered on hesitantly with a great deal of static sounds. Then it cleared and a documentary of sorts began to play.

**_The Gotei 13 is usually peaceful, however look more closely at this scenario._**

The television showed an image of the 11th division at its absolute best. There were bodies lying around half-alive and half-dead. The walls of the division were cracked and partly demolished. In the middle of all the chaos there were remaining members fighting each other with the same identical bloodlusting grin.

All of the Captains promptly switched their gaze from the television to Captain Zaraki.

"Hey, that was when the South East Wall was still intact!" Captain Zaraki was pointing at the T.V. with happiness of old memories. As he said that, a huge boom sounded from the television and as the smoke cleared on screen, the Captains saw that the South East Wall was no longer intact in the video either.

**_What do you have to say for yourself, Captain Zaraki?_**

"Oh, damn. Now I owe Yumichika a drink. I was so sure it was Ikkaku who tore down the wall." Captain Eyepatch muttered to himself angrily. He slammed a fist on his thigh. "Wait, did the stupid screen just lecture me?"

Two minutes later, the television was thoroughly destroyed.

"Uh-hum", the Captain-Commnader cleared his throat. "As I was saying, I can show multiple videos and photos, courtesy of Captain Kurotsuchi, that have a great view of the carnage the Captains create. Specifically, Captains Soifon, Kuchiki, Hitsugaya, Zaraki, and Kurotsuchi."

"Why do you think that I have anger problems?" Captain Soifon's voice was deadly and laced with venom equal to her Suzumebachi's Homonka crests. Captain Hitsugaya sweatdropped.

"Come on", Captain Zaraki laughed. "You're like the fucking definition of angry, bitch!"

Captain Soifon clenched her fists very tightly and she would have probably went Shikai all over his ass if not for Captain Unohana.

"Captain Soifon, I do not wish to have more patients in my division", Captain Unohana smiled disarmingly. At which point _everyone_ sweatdropped.

"See? Captain Soifon, if Captain Unohana had not asked you very politely to refrain from physically harming Captain Zaraki, you would have attacked, no?" The Captain-Commander asked her with his old man expression.

"Fine, I might have some minor, very minor, issues with anger", Captain Soifon grudgingly admitted. The Captain of Squad 2 rarely admitted that she was wrong or lacking in any aspect, so when she did give ground to the Captain-Commander, Captains Kuchiki and Hitsugaya had to agree that they, too, maybe had minor issues with anger.

"I don't have anger management issues, old man", Captain Zaraki said. "I just like fighting."

"And your pointless arguments with Captain Kurotsuchi?" Captain Kyoraku lifted his straw hat from his eyes with a twinkle of mischief.

"What can I say? Kurotsuchi is a freak", he answered, with the bells in his hair jingling slightly.

Another argument would have broken out, if Captain Hitsugaya had not intervened. "Captains Kurotsuchi and Zaraki, I admit that I may have some temper issues. I realize now why Captain-Commander Yamamoto wants us to help each other."

The shortest and youngest Captain took the spotlight as he continued, "The Winter War is coming up and anger in battle sometimes leads to the downfall of a shinigami. With less anger, we will also be brought closer and our teamwork will heighten."

"Teamwork?" Captain Zaraki looked at Captain Hitsugaya helplessly. "What the hell is that?"

The meeting finally started to draw to a close after the odd question.

"Captain Hitsugaya will work with each division, one each day by opposite numerical order, to help manage his anger", Captain-Commander Yamamoto decreed. "After one week, which he shall have gotten to the 7th division at least, Captain Hitsugaya will stand in front of his peers to be judged. If by then we have deemed him unfit to pass, he shall continue until he has reached the 2nd division."

Silence met these words. Captain Hitsugaya was still cursing his doomed fate at being first. It didn't help that Captain Kyoraku was chuckling behind his hand.

"Dismissed!"

* * *

Captain Hitsugaya walked with Captain Ukitake to the 13th Division for his first day of anger management. As they walked they discussed ways of helping him.

"As I said yesterday, I invited Kuchiki Rukia to assist me in curing you", Captain Ukitake reminded him with a smile.

Captain Hitsugaya suddenly stopped in his tracks. "WHAT!?! When did I agree to that?"

"Yesterday, when we were walking together", Captain Ukitake was a little startled by the outburst.

"It's humiliating enough to be lectured about anger in front of my fellow Captains, but I don't want unseated officers to know! No one will ever respect me again." Captain Hitsugaya's anger rose at the thought of everyone pointing and laughing at him for not only being the shortest Captain, but also one with anger management problems.

"Well, Kuchiki's waiting inside", Captain Ukitake shrugged. "Besides I also asked Kiyone and Sentaro to come, too."

"Captain Ukitake, please tell me that you didn't invite your whole division", Captain Hitsugaya closed his eyes.

"I didn't. It's only going to be me, Sentaro, Kiyone and Rukia", Captain Ukitake smiled. "Now, would you like a piece of candy?"

"I'M NOT A LITTLE KID! I DON'T NEED CANDY!"

"Then you might want to stop acting like one", a new voice drew his attention from the grape lollipop. Apparently his little tantrum had caused Kiyone, Sentaro and Rukia to come out of the division with matching amused grins.

"Shut-up!"

* * *

As Captain Hitsugaya's four helpers sat down on wooden chairs in Captain Ukitake's office, he decided that he would take a seat as well.

"Now, Captain Hitsugaya, are you angry a lot?" Captain Ukitake sat down directly across from him with a sheet of paper and ink-dipped brush. The look he gave his fellow Captain was one a therapist would give to his or her client.

"How is this going to help?"

"Just answer the question", Captain Ukitake prodded him with the end of the brush.

"Ow! Okay, I'm angry at occasions", Captain Hitsugaya shrugged.

Kuchiki Rukia leaned forward with a sock puppet on her left hand. The sock puppet had two long floppy ears and a poorly drawn face upon it. She squeaked, "Captain Hitsugaya, are you ever angry with your Vice-Captain?"

"What the hell is that, Kuchiki?" The height-challenged Captain pointed at the sock puppet with disdain.

Rukia leaned over and whacked him on the head. "It's Chappy, now answer the question."

"Did you just whack me on the head?"

Rukia leaned over again and bonked him on the head with "Chappy". "Answer the question, Captain Hitsugaya."

"Isn't this assault, Captain Ukitake?!" The white-haired Captain was restraining himself from tearing the sock puppet off her hand and stomping it into the ground.

"What ever gets the job done!"

"Answer the question!" Rukia pulled an angry face.

"You're lucky you're not a Vice-Captain, Kuchiki, or else the Captain-Commander would have chosen you first to receive anger management treatment", Captain Hitsugaya glared at her lowering the temperature in the room yet again.

"Captain Hitsugaya", Rukia said, barely affected by the change in heat. "Chappy is getting very mad!"

"What was the question again?"

"Are you ever angry with your Vice-Captain?"

Captain Hitsugaya answered without a second thought, "Rarely."

"Then why do you yell at her?"

"I yell", the white-haired shinigami gave her an odd look, "Because I'm angry with her."

"Do you often yell at her?"

"No."

Captain Ukitake stopped the proceedings between the two and said, "Captain Hitsugaya, Vice-Captain Omaeda once told me that he can hear your bellows all the way at the 2nd Division."

"Hyorinmaru assists in my lung capacity", Captain Hitsugaya insisted. He didn't have major anger problems, damn it! It was only once in awhile that he got mad at Matsumoto.

"Vice-Captain Omaeda gave me a detailed description of how your yells can be heard over the prisoner's screams", Sentaro added happily. Kiyone nodded in agreement, one of the rare times that she did.

"As I said, Hyorinmaru assists in my lung capacity."

"Captain Hitsugaya, Vice-Captain Omaeda told me that Captain Soifon lets the prisoners hear your scream before torturing them to first get them shaken", Rukia said, struggling not to laugh.

"What does that mean?" Captain Hitsugaya was still oblivious to what they were trying to get at.

Captain Ukitake leaned forward and whispered, "Toshiro, Captain Soifon interrogates at least twenty prisoners a day and all at different intervals."

"Are you saying that I have anger management problems?!?!"

"We already established that", Kiyone giggled a little before pulling a straight face, slightly afraid of his rage.

Captain Hitsugaya paused. "Do I really scream at her twenty times each day?"

"Sometimes more", Captain Ukitake nodded.

"No wonder Captain Soifon treats me better than she does to the rest of the Captains", he pondered.

"Back on topic", Captain Ukitake coughed lightly, earning alarmed glances from the four companions. "I'm fine. Anyway, Captain Hitsugaya, what causes you to yell at Vice-Captain Matsumoto?"

The shortest Captain screwed his face into concentration before answering, "When she doesn't do her paperwork!"

"Does she leave it for you to do?" Sentaro leaned forward eagerly for the answer. Kiyone slapped him on the head.

"Don't suffocate him with your proximity!" Kiyone yelled.

Sentaro clutched his head and retaliated. "He's probably suffocating just by being in the same room as you!"

"Shut-up, Monkey-face!"

"What did you call me?"

"Sentaro, Kiyone", Captain Ukitake tried to be stern, but the two were still arguing and totally ignoring him.

"Uh, yeah she wants me to do her paperwork", Captain Hitsugaya said slowly, over the voices of Kiyone and Sentaro.

Rukia was very used to the antics of the two third seats. "So if she did her paperwork, you wouldn't be as angry?"

"I guess not."

"Vice-Captain Matsumoto is your friend, is she not?" Captain Ukitake was taking notes as he answered the questions.

Captain Hitsugaya nodded tentatively.

"What helps relieve your anger?" Rukia asked, slightly dodging out of the way as Kiyone threw a vase at Sentaro.

"Uh, I don't know", Captain Hitsugaya thought for a little. "Yelling I guess."

"Alright, I have an idea", Captain Ukitake exclaimed, "Why don't we test you on what relieves your anger the best?"

"Uh", Captain Hitsugaya wasn't sure that was such a brilliant idea.

"Come on!"

* * *

The Thirteenth Squad's Captain, two 3rd Seats and one unseated member brought Captain Hitsugaya to the training grounds. The training grounds weren't as large as the 10th division's, but they had many more members attending. In the middle of the clearing hung dozens of brightly colored punching bags.

"Alright, get at 'em!" Captain Ukitake shouted excitedly and suddenly began to cough.

Rukia, Kiyone and Sentaro hurried over with concern. "Captain, are you alright?!"

"Fine", Captain Ukitake replied ever brightly.

"Shouldn't we first get Captain Hitsugaya angry or something?" Sentaro wasn't usually bright, but this exceeded his average intelligence limit.

The four Thirteenth Squad members all turned to look at Captain Hitsugaya who was struggling not to run away.

"Oi", Rukia said, recalling something Matsumoto had once called him. "Midget! I bet you can't hit all those punching bags with only your legs!"

"What did you call me?!" The water basin near them began to freeze as Captain Hitsugaya's mood dropped with it.

"He's a little boy, I bet he can't even reach the punching bags", Kiyone added, trying to get him riled up.

Captain Ukitake laughed nervously and added, "How about a piece of candy since you can't reach the punching bags?"

"Fools!" Captain Hitsugaya roared and charged at the punching bags. He used shunpo the last few steps and began to assault the grain-filled bags with his legs. It was true that they were a little out of his reach, but he wasn't a Captain for nothing. When he had finished the first row he went on to the others with renewed spirit. Finally he had kicked each of the bags at least twice.

"Never dare me to do anything", Captain Hitsugaya muttered to himself. As he walked away from the punching bags, they each split open from the force that he had applied on them. The bags spilt out all the grain simultaneously.

His four anger management helpers stood there gaping.

"Er, how are you feeling now?" Captain Ukitake asked with a meek voice.

Captain Hitsugaya spun around and roared, "Now I'm even angrier than before!"

"How about a piece of candy then, Shiro-kun?" Captain Ukitake coaxed.

"UKITAKE!"

**

* * *

Not much of an ending, is it? Please review!**

**Next Chapter: 12th Division's Way of Anger Management!  
**


	3. The only way to learn

**Chapter 3. Thank you to everyone who is reading this story! And thanks to the reviewers/alerters/favoriters.**

**After two chapters of a bit of humor, this chapter is focusing on character development and is a little more serious.  
**

* * *

Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya could not sleep that night, partly dwelling on the fact that Thirteenth Division's attempt to help him had been bad, very bad, and partly dreading the next morning, for Twelfth Division was next. No one in their right mind would go to the Twelfth Division seeking for their Captain's help. It would be stupid, suicidal, and probably the last thing that person would do before becoming a "test subject".

_If Kurotsuchi so much as reaches out to touch me, I'll go Bankai all over him._

The darkness of the night began to lift as his uneasiness to grow heavier inside his heart. Finally he heard the birds begin to chirp as a wake-up call to him.

_Might as well get the day over with._

The Tenth Division Captain hoisted himself out of his bed and onto the ground with a small grunt. Stretching his neck, he began to change into his uniform and last but not least, tied his scabbard onto his back. Then he proceeded to leave his comfortable room to join Captain Kurotsuchi for anger management. Thinking the worst, Captain Hitsugaya refrained from eating any breakfast, for he didn't want to vomit in the Twelfth Division. It happened occasionally to the Captains when they were forced to visit the Twelfth.

"Captain!"

Without even turning to see who was calling him, for he knew the voice well enough, he answered, "What is it, Matsumoto?"

"I just want to tell you that you must survive the trip to Twelfth Division!" Her voice was so loud it drew the attention of some unseated shinigami.

Captain Hitsugaya furrowed his brow and snarled, "Matsumoto, lower your voice. Why must I survive the 'trip'?

Vice-Captain Matsumoto gave a pout and whined, "Captain, it's because I care about you!"

"What is it, really?"

"Fine", his Vice-Captain gave in, knowing that she couldn't trick him. "I bet Shuuhei that you'd survive Captain Kurotsuchi's ways of dealing with anger. So you simply must survive, or else our squad will go broke."

"YOU WHAT?!?!"

That was her cue to leave before her Captain's rage went out of bounds. She fled with a simple goodbye in the form of, "Anger management, Captain!"

The white-haired Captain began to shake in fury and his veins began to pop out.

"MATSUMOTO!"

* * *

Far away in the 1st Division, Captain Hitsugaya's yells could be heard distantly. The Captain-Commander shook his head gravely as he examined the paperwork sent in by Captain Kuchiki.

"Oh dear, this anger management thing may take longer than expected", he hummed to himself. "Oh well."

* * *

Captain Kurotsuchi leered at the young prodigy in front of him and snickered, "Captain Hitsugaya, what luck I have today!"

"Kurotsuchi, if you so much as reach out towards me, I will kill you", Captain Hitsugaya said, trembling with rage.

"My, oh my. This will never do. We are supposed to be helping you suppress your anger, not let you reign freely", the mad scientist shook his head in mock disappointment.

Captain Hitsugaya grimaced, the other's voice was reminiscent of Ichimaru's, and answered, "What are you suggesting, then?"

"Ever since the Captain-Commander proposed the idea of anger management, I took the liberty to do some research and invent a new device to aide the inflicted", Captain Kurotsuchi replied with his maniac smile.

"And?"

"Well, it hasn't been tested yet", he replied with a slight frown. "But if you'd be so willing as to test it for me..."

_Test something for him? Is he mad? Well, actually yes he is...but is he kidding?!_

"You're kidding, right?"

"No", Captain Kurotsuchi insisted. "I'm not. If you test it, I'm sure Captain-Commander Yamamoto will be pleased with you."

"Argh."

_If I test it out and it works, then I could probably appeal to the Captain-Commander that I am cured. Then this will all be over._

Captain Hitsugaya turned the possibilities around and around in his head trying to think of an adequate answer.

_Hmm...Wait!!! Am I going crazy or something? This is Kurotsuchi Mayuri, I'm thinking about. He's probably going to do something awful._

"Captain Hitsugaya", if possible, the scientist's voice sounded sing-song. "I don't have all day."

"Actually you do have all day", Captain Hitsugaya answered.

"Eh", Kurotsuchi rolled his eyes. "Fine, I don't have any other ways of curing your anger problem and I'm certainly not a therapist. Come back later today with your decision then."

"Fine", Captain Hitsugaya answered, slightly relieved. "I shall do just that. Thank you."

Captain Kurotsuchi shrugged it off and left the room to go to his lab. Suddenly, Captain Hitsugaya realized that he didn't have to do any paperwork, for his Vice-Captain was being forced to do it for a change, and that he had nowhere to go.

_I'll go visit Captain Ukitake, he'll tell me what to do with this Kurotsuchi issue._

* * *

The short trek to the Thirteenth Division gave him time to think. It was a nice day out, the sun wasn't shining too brightly and it reminded him of his grandmother. He wondered about her sometimes, but he hadn't visited her in awhile. He briefly wondered if she was still alive. Thinking about his past eventually brought him to think about Momo.

_Damn Aizen._

His fists were clenched tightly as he remembered Momo lying on her side, eyes wide open, with blood pouring out of her. Her hands had been loosely clutched around her sword and her expression one of complete shock.

_I'll kill him myself, personally. Momo, she..._

Hitsugaya shook his head, mentally tearing himself away from those thoughts. Momo would be fine, she would always be fine.

"Captain Hitsugaya!"

A familiar voice called out to him and he looked up in surprise at not being able to sense the presence of the person. It was Third Seat Kotetsu.

"Good morning, Third Seat Kotetsu", he replied to her greeting.

She smiled and asked, "Are you here for Captain Ukitake?"

"Yes, is he available?"

"I'm afraid not", she replied with a slight frown. "He's at the Fourth today. His coughing was getting worse and so Sentaro escorted him to Captain Unohana."

"Oh, that's unfortunate", Captain Hitsugaya replied with a slight frown.

"Do you need something?"

"Well, I actually-"

"Kotetsu-san!" A female voice cut into his sentence rather abruptly and he turned to see a female shinigami waving her hand excitedly.

"Kuchiki-san", Kiyone smiled as she drew near.

"Oh sorry, did I interrupt?" Kuchiki Rukia looked between Captain Hitsugaya and her Third Seat.

Captain Hitsugaya shrugged, "Not really."

"Okay, well then, Third Seat Kotsubaki wants me to inform you that Captain Ukitake will be staying at the Fourth Division today", Kuchiki Rukia relayed the message hurriedly.

Kiyone's eyes widened, "Is he alright?"

"I don't know", the Kuchiki girl replied with a slight frown.

Kotetsu Kiyone took up running and left the two others behind as she raced towards the Fourth Division. "Sorry! I'm going to check on the Captain! Kuchiki, help Captain Hitsugaya with whatever he needs!"

As her voice decreased in volume as she ran farther and farther away, Captain Hitsugaya began to leave as well.

"Wait!"

He turned around in surprise, not really expecting to be stopped.

"Do you need help?"

"No, everything is fine", Captain Hitsugaya lied quickly, he didn't want to burden this unseated shinigami with his problems.

Kuchiki Rukia shrugged and said, "Well, you look like you need help and I have direct orders to help."

_Man, she makes it sound like if I don't ask her for help, she'll be disobeying her orders._

"Kotetsu-san probably won't be too angry that I disobeyed her, but who knows?" She toyed around with the hilt of her sword.

_Agh, she is implying that she'll get chewed out just for something this small!_

"But that probably doesn't matter to someone of Captain's rank. So I guess you can leave, without telling me anything, and I'll just get yelled at and you won't get anywhere with your problem", she rambled on, as if talking to herself.

_Damn it._

_"_Fine", Captain Hitsugaya relented as her face immediately brightened up. "Today's my day with the 12th Division. Captain Kurotsuchi has invented a device that is supposedly able to control anger. It hasn't been tested yet and he wants me to test it for him."

"Oh, wow", Kuchiki whispered. "Well, what's the problem? What are you afraid of?"

"That Captain Kurotsuchi's device will somehow harm me or...I don't know...change my hair color or something", Captain Hitsugaya shrugged.

"Your hair color?" Kuchiki Rukia screwed her face up in thought and said, "Well, I'm not really sure what you might think of all this, but I wouldn't do it."

"Because the risk is higher than the benefit?"

"Maybe it is like that, but something else too." Her violet eyes shimmered in thought.

"What do you mean?" Captain Hitsugaya couldn't tell what she was getting at.

Rukia sat down on the ground and sighed, "Well, even if the device works, it's the cheap way of getting out of something. You won't learn anything."

"What is there to learn from anger management?" Captain Hitsugaya was confused at what she was trying to tell him.

"A person can learn something from anything. You never know what you'll learn. If you use the device to control your anger, you will become dependent on that. And you will not know what causes your anger. You will never know and that causes one to be weak."

_That actually sounds...like something Granny would say._

"I know what causes my anger", he spoke quietly. "But I don't know how to quell it."

"That's why you shouldn't test the device", Kuchiki summed it up. "Because then you'll never know."

"Hn."

Then Captain Hitsugaya rose and turned to leave. Kuchiki Rukia stood there with a slight frown on her face wondering where he was going.

"Thanks, Kuchiki-san", he said without turning back.

"No problem", Rukia whispered mainly to herself. "I helped out my Captain, Third Seat, and the 10th Division Captain today. Quite an accomplishment, I must say."

Then she headed off back to her division for lunch, quietly humming Chappy's themesong.

* * *

"Captain Kurotsuchi", Captain Hitsugaya spoke softly, remembering Kuchiki's words, and sought to follow them. "I turn down your generous offer."

"What?!"

"Thank you for your time", Captain Hitsugaya turned around and left, with a small smile on his face. As he walked down the steps leading from the entrance to the 12th Division to the streets, a hell butterfly flew near him. It lowered itself onto his shoulder and began to whisper to him.

"Captain Unohana requests for your presence."

"Unohana?"

_What could this be about? Captain Ukitake or is it...Momo?_

Captain Hitsugaya flashed away towards the Fourth Division with speed that almost matched Kuchiki Byakuya's. Warnings were pressing insistently against him and his head.

Finally he arrived at the open doors of the Fourth Division and used one more flash step to arrive inside the hospital room where he could feel Captain Unohana's spiritual pressure slightly fluctuating.

"What is it, Captain Unohana?!"

"Captain Hitsugaya", she smiled her disarming smile and answered him, "Vice-Captain Hinamori wishes to see you."

"Is something wrong!?" His heart was beating faster than he thought was possible and the temperature of the room was plunging downwards.

Captain Unohana opened her eyes slowly and whispered, "Please control yourself, Captain Hitsugaya, or else the patients will freeze."

"S-sorry."

"She just wishes to speak with you again", Captain Unohana said quietly with a sad look about her face.

The white-haired Captain asked, "So she's awake now?"

"Yes."

"How are her injuries?"

"She's beginning to heal", Captain Unohana answered.

"Her s-state of mind?"

Captain Unohana beckoned him closer with a now impassive face. He walked closer, each step feeling like a heavy leaden weight.

"She is still fragile."

As the Fourth Division members around them bustled around busily, tending to patients and talking with cheery voices, Hitsugaya could only hear a dull ringing in his ear.

_What does fragile mean? Is she depressed? Does she think Aizen is her Captain? I shouldn't see her. I won't know what to say. I'll say the wrong things for sure._

Captain Hitsugaya spoke very slowly, "I-if she is still fragile, then she should spend her time recovering, not wasting her energy talking to me."

"She will be undergoing twelve days of nonstop healing to ensure her full condition", Captain Unohana informed him. "After today you won't be able to speak to her again for about two weeks."

He stood there not moving or blinking and then answered quietly, "S-She needs her rest."

_I can't face her. Not yet._

"But Captain Hits-"

He was already gone.

**

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**Thank you for reading. A little HitsuRuki moment here, not really. Please review.**

**Note: This is before the Arrancar Arc.**


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